Luggage carrier



Dec. 18 1923. 1,478,304

R. C\ STEWART LUGGAGE CARRIER Filed Feb. 25 1922 e@ m f zawzww/ey Patented Dec. ILS, i923.

narran raiser RICHARD C. STEJVART, OF COVZIGTON, KENTUCKY.

LUGGAGE CARRIER. f

T0 all whom t may conce/ra Be it lrnownthat l, RICHARD C. STEWART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Covington, in the county of Kenton and State ot Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Luggage Carriers, or which the following is a specificat-ion.

My invention relates .to package and article carriers on vehicles.

vehicle, preferably on one of the running boards thereof, with a minimum of labor and attention required for placing the device in condition for use or out of the way when not to be used. A further object is to provide 'for this in such a way that the device will not rattle under the vibration ot the vehicle. Another object is to permit of easy mounting of the device on the vehicle without making any extra openings in or otherwise marring the structure ot the vehicle. Other objects will appear in the course of the ensuing description.

l attain these objects by the device illustrated, for example, in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of part ot a motor vehicle, including one of the running boards thereof, with my invention mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a partial inside elevation of the device, enlarged, part ot the vehicle runn ning board bein-g shown in longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view ot one oi the cleats and the retaining spring mounted thereon;

Fig. t is a similar view of one of the spacer-hooks Fig. 5 is a similar view of one of the hook-washers Fig. 6 vis an end view of the device in out-of-use condition, the running board bei ing in cross-section; and

7 is a vertical cross-section on the plane of the line 7-7 of Fig. 2, showing in dotted lines, below, the out-ot-use condition as in Fig. 6, and also showing in dot-ted lines, above, an intermediate condition of the device when being placed in condition for use.

As l preferl to `construct my invention, two mating cleats l are bolted to the lower side of the vehicle running board 2 at the lts object is to provide for carrying luggage on a motor` opposite ends thereof by means ot the bolts 3 that are found in the vehicle original construction for holding the running board 2 to the rear wheel guard i and the front wheel guard 5 (Fig. l.) Each cleat l is made ot an angle bar, one of the niembers being cut awayat one end and the rcmaining other member at that end being bent down away from the cut-away member, forming a bearing lug 6 (Fig. 8) with an opening therein; and the cut-away member has the holes for the bolts 3 and lies up against the. running board 2 with the front edge of the lug 6 about even with the outer edge oit the running board (Figs. 6 and 7.) The bolt 3 at the opposite end, near the inner edge of the running board 2, also holds down on the upper surface of the running board asmall hook-washer 7 (Fig. with its hook 8 projecting out toward the outer edge of the running board and turned up and then inward over the body of the washer 7.

The grating 9 is made up of the frame Jformed of an angle bar bent to have the long middle upper part l() and the upright end parts ll; one member of the angle forming the outside of the trame and the other member being recessed to form miter joints at the corners between the part l0 and parts ll. Near the lower ends of the parts l1 this other member is cut away, and the remaining outer member is bent edge-- wise so that with the grating 9 up along the outer edge of the running board these bent parts incline downward and inward under the running board, forming bearing lugs 12 for the grating, with openings. The grating is made of such lengtlrthat these lugs l2 tit snugly between the bearing lugs `6 of the cleats l bolted to the running board; and the respective lugs 12 are pivoted to the lugs 6 by bolts i3. A lower rail 14 runs from one part ll ot the trame to thev other, just above the lower ends of the cut-away members et these parts; being secured to these members'inside the angles forming the parts 11. Upright slats l5 are attached to this lower` rail and to the upright member of the top part 10 of the frame, inside the angle there of, at suitable intervals therealong. It will be understood that these maybe 'of any desired number or spacing', or other strucY ture may occupy `this Ypart of the grating to jects.

serve as adequate retaining means for luggage stored on the ruiming board 2.

rIhe upright end parts 11 oi the grating frame have openings 16 near their' upper ends, in their inner members; and helical tension springs 17 have upper hooks engaging in these openings 16. At their opposite' ends these springs 17 have lower hooks 18 to engage with the hooks 8 el' the respective hook-washers 7 for holding the grating 9 in upright luggage-retaining position. Down near the lower ends oi these upright parts 11, spacer hooks 19 are pivoted to the respective parts. Each spacer-hook 19 has a transverse pivot opening near one end ing is upright 'for use, with the crotch 20' engaging over the outer edge of the running board 2. In this position, the spacer-hooks 19 act as spacers or braces, supporting the grating against the inward pull oi" the springs 17; so that the grating 9 is firmly held and will not rattle when the vehicle is running. When the spacer-hook 19-is swung up along the lframe part 11, its hookv 21 can receive and hold the lower hook 13er.4 the respective spring 17, contracted when released Jfrom the washer-hook 8 for placing the gratingout of its operating position.

The grating 9 swings down on its pivot bolts 13, out from the running board`2 and then upward and inward thereunder, when not to be used. To catch and hold the grating 9I in thispcsition under the running board 2,' fiat retaining springs 28 are mounted on the upright members of the cleatsl near their inner ends. Each spring 23 comprises an upper shoulder 2a, facing downwardly, a lower shoulde f 25, acing upwardf lv, and a lower part or tongue 26 extending own from the lower shoulder 'and curving out thereunder. to the inner sides of the upright/cleat membei's with their shoulders 24 and 25 racine' in toward cach other across the length oi" the device; and wheny the grating 9 swings up toward the lower side of the running board 2f itsend parts 11" enga-ge'the respective spring tongues 26, wedging the springs 23. apart, to spring toward each other and engage their shoulders under the edges of` Vthese grating parts 11 as the grating continues swinging upward and .is stopped by theV upper shoulders 241.' of the springs. Thereupon the grating 9 is firmly held be- These springs are fixed tween the shoulders 24 and 25 up under the runniiigboard2, without rattling-under the vibration ofl the vehicle.

'ifo make the carrier ready for use, the springs 23 are pressed out, releasing the grating 9, which' then Vswings down and is swung out and then up alongside the running board 2. if the operator cannot reach both springs 23atthe same time, they can be released successively, the adjacent part of the grating 9 sagging' enough when released to hold the irst released spring 23 out of engagement while the other one is released.

Vhen the grating is swung up, the-springs 17 are hooked to the spacer-hooks 19holding the latter up out or position to engage the running board edge. This allows lthe grating 9 to beswung in overthe running board, permitting the user to connect the springs 17 to the washer hooks8, as indicated by the dotted linesin the upper part of F ig. 7, without having to .stretch the springs so much as to maize this operation diiiicult. These springs 17 thus are conneeted tothe washer hoolrsS, one it time,

nu il.

after unhooking them from the spacer-hoo rs V19.r This permits these spacer-hooks 19 to drop down as shown at A in dotted'lines in F ig. 7, against the top of the running board 2 near its outer edge. ThenV the operator graspsthe grating 9 and swings Yit outward Vslightly past its operative position, whichpermits the spacer-hooks 19 to drop down and engage their crotches 2O over the vrunning board edge as before mentioned, and

as seen by the full lines-in Fig. 7. As the operator ceasespulling outward on the grating, against the tension of the springs 17,

these springs pull the grating back iiiitilit" is tightly braced by the spacer-hools 191 against the spring tension, inY upright position for use, as shown by the. full lines in Fig. 7. 4

F or putting the grating away, it is lirst pulled slightly outward, against the tension of the springs 17, until both o'f'therspacerhooks 19 are swung up above and onto the top of' the running board 2. Then upon release of the grating, the springs17 pull it inward to the dotted-line position of' l? ig. 7, whereupon the tension of the springs 17 is so reduced that theyvcan, be unhookcd fromy the washer hooks 8 with very little exertion. The spacer-hooksr19 can be swung upward onto the running board one at a time, as the gratingf9 will deflect, from end to end, under the spring tension, enough to permit this engagement of the released spacer-hook with the topofjthe running board' whilethe other spacer-hook Vis soloperated. As the springs 17 are unhooked from the washer hooks 8, they are hooked ontov the hooks 210i? the respective spacerhooks, which are swung up" to meet the springs. Then aii that is necessary is to allow the grating 9 to fall tree-ly, and it will swing up under the running board 2 and enter between the retaining springs as before described; thas latchir` out of the way automaticaiiy, as seen in ig. 6.

The springs 17, holding the grating 9 up in luggage-retaining position, act as retaining means at t-he ends ot' the carrier, to prevent the luggage sliding too far forward or backward along the running board 2. The carrier thus is very effective in use; and when not in use is entirely out of the way, and needs not to be detached bodily and stored elsewhere in the vehicle. rihe entire device is attached with only four bolts, which are found on the vehicle, without making any openings in or otherwise changing the vehicle construction, This, of course, involves making the carrier of the right proportions to fit a vehicle of a given make; different kinds being required for vehicles of different proportions. Also, of course, the carriers may be made specially tor special vehicles; or iior installing elsewhere than on the running board. Other modifications may occur, and while certain details are deemed preferable in connection with my invention, and I have shown and described these rather specifically in elucidating the construction and use ot my invention, as is required, l do not wish to be understood as being limited to such precise showing and description, but having thus :tully described my invention,

What l claim as new and desire to Secure by Letters Patent is:

l. ln a luggage carrier, a luggage-retaining element mounted to swing upright along the edge ot a vehicle luggage-receiving part, or to swing down and then up under said vehicle part, a spring element to hold said luggage-retaining element in said upright position, and means to engage said vehicle part, resisting the pressure ot' said spring, and movable out ot engaging position to permit connection of said spring with reduced efi'ort.

2. ln a luggage-carrier, a. luggage-retaining element having a pivot at its lower edge on which it is mounted to swing upright along the edge of a vehicle luggage-receiving part, engaging means over near the opposite edge of said vehicle part, and a tension spring connected to an upper part of said luggage-retaining element near one end thereof, to be connected with said engaging means across said vehicle part, for holding said element upright with a part near said pivot engaged tightly against the vehicle partto prevent rattling of the parts, and

forming luggage-retaining means at saidk end 01"' .said element.

I 3. ln a luggage-carrier, a luggage-retaining element having a pivot at its lower edge on which it is mounted'to swing upright along the edge of a vehicle luggage-receiving part, engaging means over near the opposite edge of said vehicle part, a tension spring connected to an upper part of said luggageretaining element near one end thereof, to be connected with said engaging means across said vehicle part, for holding said element upright, with a part near said pivot engaged tightly against the vehicle part, to prevent rattling of the parts, and engaging means on said element, to which said spring is connected when said carrier is out of use.

4. In a luggage-carrier, a luggage-retaining element mounted to swing upright along the edge oi a vehicle luggage-receiving part, engaging means on said vehicle part, a tension spring connected to an upper part of said luggage-retaining element near one end thereof, to be connected with said engaging means across said vehicle part, for holding said element upright, and engaging means on said element, to which said spring is connected when said carrier is out of use, movable to engage the edge of the vehicle part and resist the tension of said spring after said spring is connected with said engaging means on said vehicle part with reduced eiiort.

5. In a luggage-carrier, a spacer-hook having a pivot opening near one end and having a crotch in its opposite end and a hook lug atA one side of said crotch.

6. ln a luggage-carrier, a spacer-hook having a pivot opening near one end and having a crotch in its opposite end and a hook lug at one side ot' said crotch, said one end being rounded substantially concentric with said pivot opening.

7. ln a luggage carrier, a swinging luggage-retaining element, and a yielding sustaining means to which said element is adapted to be connected, and a brace to resist said sustaining means, brought into bracing position after said sustaining element has been connected to said sustaining means in sustaining position.

RICHARD C. STEWART. 

